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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Israeli union ends general strike | Israeli union ends general strike |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israel's main trade union has called off a general strike that halted most international flights, closed banks and shut down many public services. | Israel's main trade union has called off a general strike that halted most international flights, closed banks and shut down many public services. |
| The powerful Histadrut union ended the eight-hour strike after signing a deal with the finance ministry to end a crisis over unpaid wages. | The powerful Histadrut union ended the eight-hour strike after signing a deal with the finance ministry to end a crisis over unpaid wages. |
| The union said about 3,500 workers had not been paid for months. | The union said about 3,500 workers had not been paid for months. |
| But the union said a deal had now been struck and workers would be paid "today or tomorrow". | |
| "I hereby announce that the strike is over and all workers can go back to their jobs," said Ofer Eini, the secretary general of Histadrut. | "I hereby announce that the strike is over and all workers can go back to their jobs," said Ofer Eini, the secretary general of Histadrut. |
| Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson said: "The government did everything so that this painful problem would be solved and not recur." | |
| He promised workers would receive their wages and the economy would "continue booming". | |
| 'Municipal mismanagement' | |
| About 400,000 workers went on strike at 0900 local time (0700 GMT) after overnight talks with the government had failed to resolve the row. | About 400,000 workers went on strike at 0900 local time (0700 GMT) after overnight talks with the government had failed to resolve the row. |
| In the past, similar strikes have led to rubbish piling up in the streets and stopped phone and electricity services. | In the past, similar strikes have led to rubbish piling up in the streets and stopped phone and electricity services. |
| Israel has struggled for years with malfunctions in a number of its municipalities. There have been allegations of the mismanagement of funds, cronyism and in some cases embezzlement. | Israel has struggled for years with malfunctions in a number of its municipalities. There have been allegations of the mismanagement of funds, cronyism and in some cases embezzlement. |
| The strike's end will allow many England fans to fly to Israel to see their team play Israel in a crucial Euro 2008 championship qualifier match on Saturday. | |
| The union had already agreed to an exemption allowing the England team's plane to land on Thursday. | |
| At least 4,000 England fans are expected for the match, in a significant boost to Israel's tourism industry hard-hit by the country's war with Lebanon last year. |